Locking device



Jan. 18, 1955 N. E. BLANKE ETAL Re. 23,926

LOCKING DEVICE Originl Filed. May 3, 1949 United States Patent 23,926LOCKING DEVICE Nathan E. Blanke and HillardJIuSands, Cleveland, Ohio,assignors to The Harvard ,Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio ()l'igillalNo. 2,575,651,flatedNovemberZtl, 1951,Serial No.*91;046, May 3, 1949. Application for reissue October-19,1953, Serial 'No. 387,085

6 Claims, '(Cl. 299) Matter enclosed in 1 heavy 'ibra'ckets I appears*in the 'origlnabpatent butforms nopart of this reissue-specifi-"cation; matter printed "in italics indicates the additions madeby=reissuc.

Our-invention relates to improvements in furniture and in particular tobeds.

The principal object of our invention is -to provide a quick and easymeans for securely I attaching andlocking a cross railin andwith'a bed'leg with attached side rail.

.Afurther object of 'tlre'invention isto' provide :a means 'of the classdescribed that permits of the easy andsecure assembling and setting upof abedfframe complete -without the-use of tools except-an ordinaryhammer.

'Oth'erobj'ects andadvantages oftthe use of the ,invention will becomeapparent from-the 'descriptio'n'anddraw- :ingsherein, in which:

Fig. "1 is a view-in elevation "ofthe invention, with'a fpar't'offtheside rail 'cut away.

Fig. 2*is a view ofthe-inventio1rlooking'atit'frumatheinside,"taken'partly on cross=section line A--'Aasshown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view.in elevation of the leg with caster and the outer endof thesi'de railjattached to'such leg and showing inparticular'the'plateon the 'end of the side rail with slots foradjustmentandflttaching'bedmnds and provviding widthadjustment thereof.

-.Fig. 4 is a view'inperspective of 'an'assemblyioftthe in- -.vention,showing a cross 'rail assembled with. a ibed. leg, 'gprovidedwitha'caster 'anda side rail attachedbothxails shown in segments.

"-In the drawings:

1 is a bed leg with caster 9 in horn 7 and the nearly vertical slot 1A,which has a uniform width section and an enlarged end portion, in itsouter flange[,]. 1B and 1C refer to the form of the face or middleportion] 8 of one side of the leg 1, 1C [1--1C] referring to theslightly recessed portion and IE to the channel extending lengthwise onthe inside of either side of such recessed or middle portion of theface, the end 4B of one part of the cross rail 4 engaging in one of suchchannels when fixed in position on and in the leg 1[,]. 4A is a stud, orextension member fixed integral on the outside surface and near the endof the cross rail 4 and engages in the slot 1A as shown[.], 4A beingdriven slightly downward in IA, and 4B engaging in the channel 18, untilthe cross rail 4 is firmly fixed in and with the leg 1. 2 is a side railwhich has a base leg and is firmly attached thereby on and to the top ofthe leg 1, having a normally perpendicularly extending plate 3, withhorizontally directed slots 3A, fixed permanently on its outer end. Thetop of the leg 1 is of no greater width laterally of the bedframe thanthe base leg of the side rail 2. 5 is the other part of the cross railand joined with 4, to form a complete cross rail by means of the clamp[claim] 6, which permits of the adjustment in length of such cross rail.

From the foregoing description and drawing will be readily understoodthe manner and method of using the invention in the assembling of a bedframe complete for use, however, a further explanation may clarify anymisunderstanding of the use of the invention as follows: the casterprovided bed leg has [having] an elongated slot extending in alengthwise and a somewhat diagonal position in relation to the edge ofthe leg, and the end of the cross rail [which] may have a stud, with anenlarged head[, the]. The stud is inserted in the slot and forceddownward by means of pressure and light blows with a hammer.

andmaking a tight assembly resistant totorque and forces applied fromany normal'direction of load.

The end of one face or side of the cross 'rail 4is cut off, usually, atan angle starting a short .distan'cefrom the end of the cross; rail,asindicated at the surface 10. Such end 10 of the cross rail 4 isin'theedge 'of the cross rail 4 not directly received in one ofthechannels orgrooves 113 formed in the leg '1, andthis cut=otf of the end'of thecross rail facilitates seating same in the channel.1B.

Also plate 3, attached firmly to side rail .2, provides .means ofattaching upright parts, such as, .arm rest, bed end,'etc. as desired.Slots3A vin'plate 3provide means of adjustment in width in. conjunctionwith possible length adjustment of cross'rail 4 and clamp 36, so thatany.mat-

tress, spring or other structure or fixed dimension imposed or-rested onside rail ZInay'be held securely.

From the foregoing it will becbserved thatthe entire assembly providesnovel and practical means of compact design embodying usc of a casterleg and means'ofholding a caster in place, to provide height andpleasing design'and means toreceiveabed assembly, a cross rail toprovide-means of giving'adjustable width-to assembly,

slotted plate providing means of attachingotherstructure thereto andside, rail to provide means of a platform upon which to 'restseating'orbed'ding, all assembled as needed or.required without boltsor"other fasteners and without tools except'possibly a hammer.

We have shown and described our inventionin-a desired anduseful' formand structure however, adaptations in its a use may necessitatemodifications without departing "from the basic features or spirit 'ofthe' invention.

What we claim as-new and desire to --secure"by Letters Patentis 1Z1.A-bed-frame=comprising a-ca'sterequipped bedleg with attached side rail,one flange of -said'leg having an elongatedxslot opening 'extendingle'ngthwise of said leg and somcwhat diagonallyin relationtothe outeredge of said leg, 'the middle portion o'f said leg being slightlyrecessed to form an inside channel along each -sicle *of said middleportion, said channels extending length-wise o'f saidlleg'sjlIn-a'dev-ice'of the-"class described, the structure do scribed in claim1, in combination with a cross rail provided with a stud on its outsidesurface adjacent to the end and adapted to engage in said slot, saidcross rail having one flange projecting slightly beyond the said stud,said cross rail projection adapted to engage in one of said channels tocoact with said leg and cross rail to effect an assembly of said leg andcross rail as shown and described and for the purposes specified] [3. Ina device of the class described in claim 2, a

slotted plate attached firmly to an end of said side rail,.

said plate being a means for attaching upright parts to the bed frame,said plate providing adjustment in width of such upright parts] 4. In aframe, a leg of substantially U-shape in cross section and having a baseface and a pair of side faces, one of said side faces having acompletely enclosed slot therein spaced from the margins thereof andwhich slants slightly inwardly of said leg towards said base face andhas a uniform width section therein, said leg having a verticallyextending channel formed therein at the corner between said slotted sideface and said base face, a rail member, and a stud on said rail memberand protruding therefrom, said stud being engaged with said slot andbeing movable downwardly thereof to force an end of said rail member toabut against said channel to secure said rail member tightly to saidleg.

[5. In a frame, a leg of substantially U-shape in cross section, andhaving a base face and a pair of side faces, one of said side faceshaving a slot therein which slants slightly inwardly of said leg towardssaid base face, a rail member, and a stud on said rail member andprotruding therefrom, said stud being engaged with said slot and beingmovable downwardly thereof to force an end of said rail member againstthe inner surface of said base face] [6. In a frame, a leg having a baseface and a side face with a slot therein which slants slightly inwardlyof said leg towards said base face, a rail member, and a stud on saidrail member and protruding therefrom, said stud being engaged with saidslot and being movable with relation thereto to force an end of saidrail member into tight association with said leg] [7. A frame as inclaim 4 wherein said rail member has a tapered end which is snuglyengaged by said side faces upon said rail member being engaged with saidleg] [8. In a bed frame, a leg of substantially U-shape in section, arail, an extension member on said rail, and engaging means on said legin engagement with said extension member, said engaging means andextension member having wedged engagement forcing a portion of said railagainst a portion of said leg to aid in securing said rail and leg infixed relation] [9. A frame as in claim 6 wherein said leg has a channelformed in its base face and the end of said rail member is seated insaid channel to aid in snugly engaging said leg and said rail member]10. In a bedframe, a leg of substantially U-shape in section, a railhaving two sections in angular relation to each other, and an extensionmember on one section of said rail, said leg having a slot in one sidethereof receiving said extension member, said slot and extension memberhaving wedged engagement forcing a portion of said rail against aportion of said leg to aid in securing said nail and leg in fixedrelation, said other section of said rail having an end portion engagingthe other side of said leg lto aid in retaining said rail in solidengagement with said 11. In a bedframe, a leg of substantially U-shapein section having opposed sides, a rail having two sections in angularrelation to each other, and an extension member on one section of saidrail, said leg having a vertically inclined slot receiving saidextension member, said slot and extension member having slidingengagement to force a portion of said rail against a portion of said legto aid in securing said rail and leg in fixed relation, said othersection of said rail having a tapered end engaging the other side ofsaid leg to aid in retaining said rail in solid engagement with saidleg.

12. In a bedframe, a pair of side rails having base legs, a pair of legsof substantially U-shape in section and each having opposed sides and abase portion, cross rail means, extension members on said cross railmeans adjacent each end thereof, each of said legs having an enclosedvertically inclined slot in one side thereof spaced from the margins ofsuch side and receiving said extension member, said slot and extensionmember having sliding engagement to force portions of said cross railmeans against a portion of each of said legs to aid in securing saidcross rail means and legs in fixed relation, said legs each having anopen lower end for receiving a caster therein, said legs having tops towhich said side rails are secured, said tops of said legs being nogreater in width laterally of the bedframe than said base legs of saidside rails whereby a member carried by said base legs can extenddownwardly therefrom between said base legs and normally thereto.

13. In a bedframe, a side rail, a leg of unitary construction andsubstantially U-shape in section and having opposed sides and a baseportion, a cross rail extending into said leg towards said base portionand an extension member on said cross rail adjacent an end thereof, saidleg having a vertically inclined enclosed slot in one side thereofspaced from the margins of such side and receiving said extension memberin a section of the slot, said slot and extension member having slidingengagement to force a portion of said cross rail against a portion ofsaid leg to aid in securing said rail and leg in fixed relation, saidleg having a top and having an open lower end for receiving a castertherein, said side rail being secured to the top of said 14. In a frame,a leg of substantially U-shape in cross section and having a base faceand a pair of side faces, one of said side faces having a slot thereinwhich slants slightly inwardly of said leg towards said base face, saidleg having a vertically extending channel formed therein at the cornerbetween said slotted side face and said base face, a rail member, and astud on said rail member and protruding therefrom, said stud beingengaged with said slot and being movable downwardly thereof to force anend of said rail member to abut against said channel to secure said railmember tightly to said leg, said rail member having an end portion whichis snugly engaged by the other of said side faces upon said rail memberbeing engaged with said References Cited in the file of this patent orthe original patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 105,771 Benjamin July 26, 1870757,924 Hirsh Apr. 19, 1904 1,566,709 Wasserman Dec. 22, 1925 1,694,940Herz Dec. 11, 1928 1,715,070 Kusterle May 28, 1929

